While everybody is craning the neck, waiting for the construction work of Shao Mo Memorial Natatorium to be completed and opened on July 6, as planned, an untoward thing has happened, causing it to extend the inauguration to a period of 3 more months.

Prof. Hung Ching-jen, Dean, Office of General Affairs, told us that the delay was caused by the delinquency of the contractor in charge of the whole construction plan.

The plan stipulates clearly that there should have constructed 8 swimming channels, with a 2.25 meter width for each channel. However, the contractor “inadvertently” augmented one more channel to the original 8, claiming that the addition is intended for use by those physically incapacitated swimmers.

This unexpected action has caused reduction of width between channels to 2 meters, a violation of the original contract.

However, this “oversight” on the part of the contractor remained undetected until after the completion of the diving deck. Pres. Chang Horng-jinh indicated that TKU cannot accept this unilateral haphazard action taken by the contractor, and had therefore notified them to redress the mistake by first having the tiles underneath each channel removed, then replaced them with the new tiles.

Although this remodeling work seems quite innocuous, a delay on the issuing of permit will become necessary; hence the delay of the opening date is also irrevocable.

Asked if the delay of the inauguration of Shao Mo Memorial Natatorium would affect the swimming lessons scheduled for next semester, Prof. Wang Yi-shyung, Director, Office of Physical Education, told us, a juggling of the basic exercise program can easily avoid the inconveniences caused by the delay.

So, we have nothing to worry, except we should extend our sincere apology to students about to graduate and leave us in June because we cannot keep our original promise by letting them dip their feet in the sweet waters of Shao Mo swimming pool. Sorry!